Jacques Kallis left his Twenty20 World Cup frustration behind him with a solid 73 while Hashim Amla notched a patient 87 as South Africa gained valuable batting practice in their opening tour game here on Thursday.

The tourists finished the first day of their three-day match at 294-5 against a young Patron's XI at the National Bank Sports complex after the home team put them in on a placid pitch.

AB de Villiers was unbeaten on 48 and with him Mark Boucher on 14.

The tourists play Pakistan in the first of two Tests here from Monday.

The 31-year-old Kallis resigned from the South African captaincy after he was dropped from the squad for the Twenty20 World Cup earlier this month which raised doubts over his international future.

But Kallis put his exclusion behind him by hitting nine boundaries during an attractive innings which lasted two-and-a-half hours.

Amla hit two sixes and 10 boundaries during his 220-minute stay at the crease before he was caught at deep cover off right-arm leg-spinner Rizwan Ahmed who was the pick of home bowlers with 3-90.

The 24-year-old from Durban steadied the South African innings with Kallis through a 130-run third wicket stand after they lost openers Graeme Smith (20) and Herschelle Gibbs (31) early in their innings.

Smith fell stumped off Ahmed after he struggled during his brief innings. Gibbs was also not in his elements driving straight to cover off paceman Junaid Zia to leave South Africa at 58-2.

De Villiers added 69 runs for the fifth wicket with Amla to boost the South African innings.

The tourists, who arrived in Pakistan amid tight security on Wednesday, played with dozens of military rangers surrounding the stadium where spectators were not allowed due to security reasons.

"I am happy that all the batters got a good chance in the middle rather than spending time in the nets which was needed before the Test," South African coach Mickey Arthur said after the match.

Arthur praised Kallis's batting.

"Kallis is a class act. He walked straight out in the middle having played little cricket and played as he usually does. The top four will matter in the Test and Kallis is one of them."